FOLDING AQo in Middle Position After an Early Position Raise (Tournament Play)

Greetings everyone,

I have a question regarding tournament play:

It’s early in the tournament and everyone is still deep stacked for the most part. No one knows much about the other players at the table.

I have AQ offsuit in MP+2

A raise is made by UTG+1 for 3x the bb.

Is it ever a reasonable play to fold AQ in this situation?

I can't tell you by one and only hand and so early in the tournament without knowing yet your opponents. instead I will give you a general rule. Be extra careful in the very first stages of the tournament.

Don't chase very hard one pair hands even if you have the best kicker if you see that someone else is keep calling you and suddenly plays back at you very aggressively. Most of the times he is beating you.If you are asking about a freeroll/micro buy in tournament they play literally any two.

Be patient and you will play regular poker after a while , hopefully.

I think it would be a reasonable fold if another player before you 3-bet. If you are deep stacked, I don't mind calling and see a flop.

I would mostly try and see a flop for a 3BB raise with AQ in a cheap tourney, if A or Q comes you are probably in good shape against hands like JJ or 10 10 or 99 that might raise from early position. In cheap tourneys people will even raise with a smaller pair than that from early position, or with something like AJ or A10 which you are beating. I think it's ok to see a flop as long as you don't get carried away and put a lot of money in after the flop if you only hit one pair or if you don't hit anything. Sometimes people call raises all the way through the hand with only A high. I don't think that's a great idea.

i would play it, but i'd also likely be afraid of a lot of possible hands.

really only a high card is not enough to call, AQ, AJ and JJ are hands that must be played with great caution, your thinking really very good....the thought of
Amanda A

This is an excellent drawing hand and I would call behind most of the time here. Very rarely would I ever decide to 3-bet with it early on.

At lower buyins I believe most players to have a simpler understanding of the game and I want them to consider me “tricky” when I end up at a showdown after “just” calling with AQ, so a 3bet moves into virtually never territory.

With known or seemingly experienced opponents (higher buyin), I might 3-bet here, but I’m hoping for a fold. This tactic I would only use to mix things up. And if I’m mixing things up - that means I would occasionally fold as well. Both of these options are rare.

I'd be unlikely to fold here deep stacked early stages, would be a call for me. On the flop it would be important to assign a range to the villain and play the flop accordingly, knowing many opening hands from UTG have me beat unless I improve. Without any other info to go on I'd be assuming around the top 10% of hands opened from UTG, lot of A and picture card combos, mid+ pocket pairs.

A fold or a 3bet both possible later when I have more info, even then I expect I am calling more often than not. I suspect some people are 3betting here quite often, I might 3bet it if villain is really loose, as when I hit an A or a Q on the flop there is more chance I'll dominate his range. Don't think I am folding unless villain is a complete nit who is unlikely to open from UTG without AA/KK/AK/QQ.

In 99%, when there is AQ, there's also AK. As the blinds are still small, it's not a big thing here to call and see the flop, but I wouldn't invest much on that...

Without a read on my opponent I would make the call here. If I know its a tight player who rarely plays out of position, I would make the fold.

Peppintom, I would think that 99% statistic is tad (please notice sarcastic tone) higher than reality.

you are deep stacked, and you have a hand that can flop very well

def call

If you have enough coins you can call for flop. If you running low then I suggest you to fold. AQ is not a premium hand, Ive folded AK preflop without being sorry

You have to play at least a call for two reasons:
1) 3bb in the early game of the tournament or nothing
2) The standard opening range of utg is 77+ ATs + AJo + KJs + KQo QJs. You play very well against him. the more players play much more loose.

Maybe there are reasons, but for me it is enough. And don't lose your head when you hit the ace on the flop. Pot control will be a good post flop game.

Very early in a tournament when you presumably have 20-50BBs, a 3BB bet is an instacall, probably even a reraise in that situation. Hell, even if you had only 15-20BBs you'd call that. 3BB is an insignificant bet. They were probably just trying to prevent other people from limping in.

UTG ranges in first stage of the tournament are quite wide. Even in later stages people raise with TT or JJ. Its playable, but pay attention to post-flop action, and don't get glued to the top pair with top kicker. AQ is a good hand but also a losing hand against a wide range of cards: QQ, KK, AK, AA, and TT&JJ with a T or a J on the flop.

I fold those spots early in tournament , with AQ in MP when someone raised before me ; When I have like 10-15-20 BB in later stage of tourney , then thats different story

sammy22 said:

Greetings everyone,

I have a question regarding tournament play:

It’s early in the tournament and everyone is still deep stacked for the most part. No one knows much about the other players at the table.

I have AQ offsuit in MP+2

A raise is made by UTG+1 for 3x the bb.

Is it ever a reasonable play to fold AQ in this situation?

Click to expand...

In a small stake or FR. Early with big stacks and small blinds. And it's an open.... almost never folding. Mostly 3 betting. vary maybe amounts etc depending who at table or any feel. but generally, in the situation u describe, esp in the stakes i'm assuming. 3 bet.

Can talk tangents all day...and to answer your question- literally - considering, EVER......
I guess maybe somewhere somehow....I'd never say never.... But for the most part. No. Not a reasonable fold.

rudy988 said:

I fold those spots early in tournament , with AQ in MP when someone raised before me ; When I have like 10-15-20 BB in later stage of tourney , then thats different story

Click to expand...

I feel the opposite. I want to play with my skill advantage. You're describing push n pray. Late stage with big blinds and antes....the AQo fold becomes more reasonable. Not that it's THE move to fold it late. lol. but he logic in the statements seems backwards. Unless you're playing bingo.

AQ and AJ have had me in some sticky situations. A raise UTG+1, I'm either making a 3-bet, 4-bet/4-bet shove or folding AQ. Im never just calling if there are players still to act.

I'd call and play the ep raiser in position a 3-bet is probably a shrug and fold though.

You have tho think how this hand would play out on future streets.

Ideally you want position in the hand so you can't just call or you invite players in behind you. If you raise your are reopening the pot to the original raiser who has already shown strength. Do you want to face a 4bet with AQo?

In a serious tournament the best option is the fold

well you being extremely deep is a great reason to reraise and make j9 suited pay big time or you get the fold.
If he has AA or KK you will know it by the 4bet and you can get out the way.
We pay for information sometimes

40+BB : 3Bet 70% / Call 30%. Too early to shove ( no info ), and implied odds too good for a fold.

40 - 30BB : 3bet/shove 45% , Call 45%, Fold 10%.
At this stack range, a 3Bet ( 9BB ) constitutes 22-30% of your stack. depends on fold equity, post flop ability. Calling is 10% or less of your stack, and gives you some fold equity if after the call, things go south. Later in a tournament with more info, the percentages adjust to balance your range.

30-20BB : the difference between your hands expected value, and 3bet equity shrinks rapidly. A call means that on the flop, your SPR is just between 3-5, and depending on texture, ether committing or folding.

20BB and less : 3Bet with the intent of shoving and committing.